A fatal solo-vehicle accident, which killed one and injured another, took place on Highway 12 near Akron on Sunday, January 1.

At approximately 7:40 a.m., Plymouth patrol officers were dispatched to the scene after receiving a report of a car in a ditch. According to the report, a 2003 Mitsubishi had been traveling along the northbound lane of Highway 12 when, for yet unknown reasons, the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned, landing in the west ditch.

A female occupant died as the result of the crash. The driver of the Mitsubishi was extricated by local firefighters and taken to Floyd Valley Hospital for treatment.

Yesterday, authorities identified the victims as 25-year-old Samantha Joann Derner and 25-year-old Scott Allen Dennis. They are both Sioux City residents.

Preliminary investigation shows that alcohol may have contributed to the crash. No arrest has been made, as the investigation is still in progress.

Three people were killed and two were injured when a speeding pickup truck drove through a Walmart store entrance in Pella, Iowa.

According to initial reports, a silver Ford F-150 pickup truck travelling at a high rate of speed crashed into the building’s front door and came to a stop near a refrigerator in the store’s fresh produce aisle. The impact of the crash killed three and injured two people. According to an off-duty Walmart employee, at least two of the five casualties were Walmart employees.

How the accident actually occurred is yet to be determined, but it was clear that the incident did not appear to be intentional. Information about the identification and condition of the driver of the pickup truck is yet to be released.

If you or your loved one has been physically injured or sustained emotional harm as a result of an accident at work, you may be entitled to compensation. Our lawyers at the LaMarca Law Group, P.C. have the skills and experience helping workers in need of disability benefits. Call us at 877-327-2600 to discuss your situation.

In case of illness or injury sustained outside the workplace, one may be entitled to short-term disability benefits. Some states provide employees with these benefits, and employers in other states can offer short-term voluntary benefits.

Short-Term Disability Insurance (STDI) Some states provide short-term disability benefits through a state fund paid for by employees, employer contributions, or both. Employers might also offer STDI benefits either fully paid by the employer or subject to employee contributions.

Illnesses Covered by STDI A short-term disability plan provides payment for lost wages if an employee is unable to work temporarily due to pregnancy or an illness or injury suffered off the job. Qualifying surgeries must be medically necessary. Common examples of medical operations that might qualify for short-term disability benefits are: open heart surgery, caesarean section birth, removal of gallbladder or other internal organs, broken bones, and knee or hip replacement surgery.

The attorneys at the LaMarca Law Group, P.C. can help workers in need of disability benefits. Contact our firm at (515) 225-2600 to see how we can get you the coverage you need.

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a government-funded disability program that pays recipients a fixed monthly amount. It is given to disabled people who need assistance with their cost of living.

Every state currently pays SSI to disabled citizens, with the exceptions of Arizona, Mississippi, North Dakota, and West Virginia.

Qualifications and compensation amount vary by state. SSI also depends on civil status, with variations based on whether a person is single, married, living in a nursing home, etc.

The Social Security Administration administers the state supplement for California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. In these states, your application for SSI and for the state supplement are the same. The supplemental amounts are shown on the SSA website.

There are three types of benefits that injured employees are entitled to according to Iowa’s Workers’ Compensation Benefits laws. They are Medical Benefits, Temporary (healing period) Total Disability Benefits, and Permanency Benefits.

Medical Benefits: Your company’s insurance carrier and your employer have to shoulder any medical expenses you face after your workplace injury, as well as reimbursement for your travel expenses to and from your appointments.

Temporary Total Disability Benefits: If you were forced to take off work due to the workplace injury, your employer is required to pay the amount you would’ve received had you been going to work. You’ll notice the gross income is less than usual and this is because these amounts are not taxable.

Permanency Benefits: These benefits are added if the injury you sustained was at work has led to a permanent disability. If the injured body part was the leg, foot, arm, or hand, then the amount received will relate to the level that the injury is debilitating. If the injury happened somewhere on your torso—your back, neck, shoulder, hips, etc.—or your head, then the amount paid is determined by how the injury will affect the person’s ability to obtain an income over the rest of their lives.

If you’ve been left unable to work due to neglect from your employer to prevent your injury, you are entitled to compensation. Contact an attorney with LaMarca Law Group, P.C. at 877-327-2600 if you’ve been denied this compensation from your employer and we might be able to fight on your behalf.

A comatose car crash victim regained consciousness nearly a full month—28 days—after she began the ordeal.

The first third of her stay was spent in and out of major surgery to care for her broken neck, arm, wrist, and ankle. The accident occurred when a speeding fugitive hit her head-on in Urbandale.

“I feel really tired and sore, and I’m in a lot of pain,” Martinez said when prompted about how she was feeling. Her family reported feeling elated that she was finally awake and that her children are handling the situation much better now that they know that she is awake and recognizes them. Martinez’s sister, Marcy Ashley, has said that they’ve just started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by a reckless, speeding, or drunk driver, you may be eligible for compensation for your emotional and physical pain. For a free consultation on your case, contact the Des Moines personal injury attorneys of LaMarca Law Group, P.C., today by calling 877-327-2600.

The driver of a truck is in custody after he hit two men at the Highland Park Little League on Sunday, September 18.

The Polk County Sheriff’s deputies received a call regarding the accident before 9:00 a.m. Following the collision with the two men, the operator ran into a concession stand.

The driver wandered away from the accident on foot and was found walking in the middle of a distant road. When he noticed the deputies coming near him, he began to fight them.

The Iowa State Patrol and the Des Moines Police Department were called in to help the deputies arrest the man, who was brought to a hospital. One victim was given medical attention at the scene and released while the other victim was sent to a local hospital in critical condition. The investigation is ongoing.

At LaMarca Law Group, P.C., our Des Moines car accident lawyers can bring their extensive litigation experience and aggressive representation to bear for you and your family. To schedule a free consultation, contact our law firm today at (515) 225-2600.

A car passenger traveling east on Highway 163 died from the injuries she sustained in a two-vehicle collision Monday afternoon, August 22.

Iowa State Patrol confirmed that 23-year-old woman from Cedar, Iowa, was in a car driven by a man, also of Cedar, when the vehicle rear-ended a commercial truck. The larger truck was speeding up after merging onto the roadway in the left lane of traffic, heading east on Highway 163 near Bayard Avenue. Officers do believe excessive speed was a factor in the accident. Unfortunately, the woman was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of impact.

The passenger was declared dead at the scene by a state medical examiner, and the driver of the Saturn was brought to Pella Regional Health Center for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of impact, which likely saved his life. The commercial vehicle driver was unharmed, but there were over two hours of delay as crews worked to clear the road.

Although the commercial truck driver did not sustain serious injuries in this case, truck drivers are hurt on the job all too often. If you sustain injuries on the job, the attorneys at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. can help. Contact us at 877-327-2600 to discuss your legal options.

A heavy-duty, 3,200-pound air conditioner, has fallen off a truck, and crushed an employee working at a Pennsylvania plant, for a Wisconsin company, on Wednesday, July 27th.

Jennifer Wright, a 37-year-old West York woman, was assisting in loading the unit onto a trailer at a Johnson Controls plant in Spring Garden Township when it fell off the pallet and landed on her. She was retrieved from underneath the equipment and taken to a hospital, where she died. Wright’s death has been classified as work-related by the York County Coroner Pam Gay and the autopsy was scheduled for the following Friday. Wright was a temporary employee of the Wisconsin-based company and Johnson Controls is deeply saddened by Wright’s death.

The attorneys of LaMarca Law Group, P.C. understand that workplace death occurs far too often and are standing by to treat your case with respect and compassion. Their thoughts go out to the victim and her loved ones.

Last year Iowa was declared by the Iowa Department of Public Health to have the highest rate of worker fatalities in the entire Midwest. It is no secret that agriculture plays an important role in the state’s economy, with major industries including forestry, fishing, and hunting. But agricultural workers continue to be subjected to a number of hazards that put them at high risk for injury and death.

There are other factors that make Iowa in particular dangerous in these industries. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa employs a large number of older individuals, and has a lack of safety equipment. On top of this, farming involves long hours, working with large equipment, and dealing with a number of chemicals. Agricultural workers are exposed to numerous health hazards that include:

Respiratory Risks

Skin Disorders

Cancers

Hearing Loss

Chemical Hazards

Overheating

The significant risks that farmers are subject to can often be prevented, but the necessary precautions are often not taken to protect the workers in the field.

At LaMarca Law Group, P.C., our Des Moines workers’ compensation attorneys believe that the health of farm workers needs to be protected, and are here to help anyone who has suffered from work-related injury. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed on the job, then contacting out legal team can help you receive the financial support to help recovery. Contact our offices today at 877-327-2600.